Go Emmy Go: Mechanical engineering students design adaptive toy car

At just three days old, Emerson “Emmy” Wild had her first seizure. At three weeks old, she received a life-changing diagnosis. She had KCNT1-related epilepsy, a rare form of treatment-resistant epilepsy with around 3,000 known cases worldwide.

Emmy’s parents, Auburn alumni Alex and Matt Wild, were soon connected with the KCNT1 Epilepsy Foundation, created to “bring people together with KCNT1 gene variants and accelerate research and drug development efforts focused on finding a cure for KCNT1-related epilepsy.”   

“Alex has definitely been a huge advocate for this community and this disease,” said Sarah Drislane, KCNT1 Foundation executive director. “Her whole family has been all-in. Alex is always thinking outside the box on how we can advance the science.”

Emmy has physical, occupational, speech and vision therapists and a myriad of doctors’ visits each week as well as an at-home nurse. She averages 10 to 20 seizures a day, which are resistant to most traditional medications. 

“Before having Emmy, I thought I understood disabilities and what it meant to be inclusive,” said Alex, an engineer with Georgia Power. “But now, having our daughter and having to think of every little thing she needs on a day-to-day basis has opened our eyes so much more.”

After graduating from Auburn with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2011 and a master’s degree in geotechnical engineering in 2013, Alex joined 100+ Women Strong and served two terms on the Engineering Young Alumni Council.

Through her ongoing involvement on campus, Alex eventually connected with Jordan Roberts, senior lecturer, and Kyle Schulze, assistant professor, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering with the idea to create a customized toy that Emmy could use. Her condition has led to developmental delays, so most ‘adaptive’ toys aren’t an option for Emmy, now two and a half.

“Many kids affected by KCNT1 can lose the ability to use their hands and control their eyes,” Drislane said. “Giving a child the ability to control their environment helps with their development and their understanding of cause and effect. It can motivate a child to make choices and help develop their brain." 

The project was selected to be a senior design project for mechanical engineering students to tackle, along with six other projects students could pick from. The five students, who call their team “Go, Emmy, Go” are:

• Haley Bhend: Team manager, build team 
• Katie Spivey: Build team 
• Scott Schulhofer: Build team 
• Wakefield Thurmond: Control team
• Andrew Smith: Control team

“I chose to work on this project because I knew I would be helping someone and contributing to someone’s quality of life,” Schulhofer said. “It means so much more to us being able to meet Alex and Emmy and make this product for them.”

“While many of the proposed projects were theoretical, I like working on our team because we are building something ourselves,” Bhend said. “I think that just helps you learn better, and it has been so rewarding to see our progress.”

The students took an existing drivable kid’s car and took it apart, rebuilding it completely to meet Emmy’s specific needs. Smith and Thurmond took out the wiring, rerouting and reprogramming it to make braking and turning gentler as well as make the control system more ideal for Alex and Matt. Mechanical engineers by nature, they enlisted the help of many students and faculty from other departments to understand the complex electrical and computer engineering questions.

Bhend and Schulhofer created a custom base for the car, allowing an adjustable car seat to be installed safely. The team also created a shade canopy as Emmy’s condition makes her sensitive to the heat.

“From the beginning of this project, we have been focused on learning her personal needs for this car,” said Smith. “I think that extra challenge has made this project more interesting and rewarding.”

Alex hopes the impact of this project goes far beyond the toy car for Emmy.

“I hope people have a growing understanding of diversity and inclusion surrounding rare and ultra-rare diseases,” Alex said. “It can be hard for these families to do a lot of things, and sometimes even to leave the house. The more we can understand it, the more we can make the world more adaptable for everyone.”  

Drislane, for one, is already seeing future impacts.

 “Seeing the enthusiasm of the engineering students to take on this project and to understand the condition and Emerson’s physical limitations is truly inspiring. It is this kind of dedication that will help us find new treatments in the future and bring some joy in our everyday lives while we wait for those solutions,” Drislane said. “Auburn should be proud of these students. We are certainly grateful for their work on this project and hope they continue in their work to support people like Emerson.”